The Hindu : Telugu Desam cool to third front moves

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 24, 2002

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Telugu Desam cool to third front moves

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD MARCH 23. The Telugu Desam appears to be cool to the third front idea promoted by the CPI(M) and prefers to stay with the NDA. The party president and the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, is understood to have conveyed a distinct impression to the effect in an informal interaction with party seniors.

According to party sources, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, noted that the CPI (M), which supported moves to help the Congress ride back to power at the Centre, was now criticising it. By shifting its stand frequently, it had eroded its credibility.

On the other hand, the Telugu Desam prized credibility and the interests of the State above political gain.

The TDP did not see any necessity for a shift from the present stand, Mr. Naidu is understood to have told partymen.

he CPI (M) was opposed to both the BJP and the Congress, but for its own reasons viewed the former as an adversary. For the Telugu Desam, founded on an anti-Congress plank, plumping for that party would be unthinkable.

It had decided to go along with the BJP without prejudice to its own strong commitment to secularism. Another condition was strict adherence to the NDA agenda.

The current relationship with the NDA Government served the interests of the State. Andhra Pradesh was able to derive maximum advantage from the Deepam scheme (supply of cooking gas to women) and the Food for Work programme, under which it wangled 16.5 lakh tonnes of rice from the Centre.

Now, the Centre has agreed to sanction another 15 lakh tonnes and extend the tenure of the scheme till June 30.

The Food for Work programme ensured that none went without work and there was one programme or the other in every village. "Let us continue with the status quo", Mr. Naidu is understood to have said.

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